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<title>Last Kiss by 50s_housewife_with_a_dark_secret</title>
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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/22793122">Last Kiss</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/50s_housewife_with_a_dark_secret/pseuds/50s_housewife_with_a_dark_secret'>50s_housewife_with_a_dark_secret</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Merpeople, F/M, First Kiss, First Meetings, Last Kiss</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-02-18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-09-01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-04-28 17:55:52</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,154</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/22793122</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/50s_housewife_with_a_dark_secret/pseuds/50s_housewife_with_a_dark_secret</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Carl Manfred &amp; Markus, Connor &amp; North (Detroit: Become Human), Markus &amp; Simon (Detroit: Become Human), Markus/North (Detroit: Become Human)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Secrets of Merrow</h2></a>
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    <p>Markus scrolled through the waterproof magazine, frowning over it. Reading did not come naturally to merrow, but he was trying. Many of the words were new to him. They had never come up in conversation with Carl, though Carl tended to talk to Markus often. There wasn't much else to do, or so Carl said. Markus couldn't really know. He had never left the tank. The doorbell rang in the other room. "Sounds like breakfast." Commented Carl. He wheeled away to answer it. Markus waited anxiously, but it turned out to be Carl's breakfast and not Markus'. The nurse helped set the table. Markus watched him. He was middle-aged and slightly overweight. He wore light-green scrubs. </p><p>"It's watching me." The Nurse commented with a laugh. Markus wasn't sure why the comment stung the way it did.</p><p>He half expected Carl to tell the man off but Carl only said, "Yes. Markus is very inquisitive." And went back to his food.</p><p>The nurse dunked his arm into the water with a dull splash, and grabbed at a fin, rubbing it between his thumb and forefinger. "Never seen one of these so close before." Markus resisted the urge to propel away through the water. The nurse was strong. If he didn't let go right away, if Markus moved, he'd tear the fin off entirely.</p><p>"Please, no touching." Carl commented. The nurse let go. There was an awkward silence</p><p>"Music?" Markus suggested awkwardly. The human sounds fit strangely in his mouth but Markus could speak English well nonetheless, even if it was uncomfortable.  </p><p>"Sure. Why not." Carl turned to the nurse. "Could you put on something acoustic?" </p><p>"Of course." The nurse said, filtering through Carl's record collection until he found an appropriate record. </p><p>After the record finished, the Nurse turned on the morning news, and left. He'd be back at noon, with lunch. </p><p>"Fishing companies say that the high population of merrow are reducing their stock of fish." Recited a reporter on the big TV screen. "In response, culling quotias have been-"</p><p>"TV off." Carl sighed and the voice cut out. </p><p>"I'm going to spend a few hours painting. I'll see you at lunch." </p><p>"What about breakfast?" Markus asked. </p><p>Carl chuckled. "Oh, I nearly forgot. Hang on a moment." </p><p>Carl retrieved the feed and handed it over to Markus. "I hope the nurse didn't harm you." Carl said, looking over Markus' fins.</p><p>"No. I'm fine, Carl."</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Injured</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Markus curled beneath the water, motionless, waiting for Carl to get home. He wished he could reach the records and the player. Music would help, he thought. Then again, he wasn't sure if he would have the energy to play anything, even if he could reach it.</p><p>The door slid open. Carl! Markus hated when Carl had to leave for an event, but when he came back was always good. It was wrong, maybe, but Markus found himself looking forward to listening to Carl rant, cheering him up, after everyone else tore him down. Markus tried not to hope that Carl had had a terrible time. Markus pushed himself up and- </p><p>It wasn't Carl. It was Leo. Carl hadn't said anything about Leo coming over. Markus considered talking to Leo. It always ended in an argument, but an argument was better than nothing. He didn't have the energy. </p><p>"What are you looking at, fish?" Leo demanded. </p><p>Markus just sunk back down to the floor.</p><p>Carl wheeled himself in not long after, but Markus couldn't make himself get up. Maybe Carl would want to talk, or maybe he would ignore Markus, and drink his whiskey in silence. Carl got quiet like that sometimes, when he was really unhappy. Markus didn't want to find out. He watched through the glass as Leo stomped out of the studio, carrying rolled up papers under his arm. They were arguing. </p><p>"What's going on?" Carl asked, wheeling forward a little. </p><p>"You refuse to help me, so I'm helping myself..." Leo said, "It's crazy what some people will pay for this shit..."</p><p>"Don't touch 'em!" Carl yelled.</p><p>"Look, they're all gonna be mine sooner or later anyway," Leo said, "Just think of it as a down-payment on my inheritance."</p><p>"I'm calling the police." Carl said, tapping at his phone. Leo grabbed it and threw it across the room.</p><p>Markus jolted to the surface with a screech. </p><p>"All you ever do is tell me to go away!" Leo yelled at Carl, "What's wrong, Dad?" He advanced towards the tank. "I'm not good enough for you? Not perfect like this FUCKING ANIMAL?!" </p><p>"That's enough! Get out, right now! Go on, move!" Carl yelled. </p><p>"What makes it so special anyway, huh? What's it got that I don't?" He grabbed Markus by the arm. </p><p>"Leave him alone!" Carl yelled, trying to angle himself in-between them.</p><p>Leo kicked the chair away and shook Markus violently. "Come on, let's see what you got!"</p><p>"Markus," said Carl, "don't defend yourself, you hear me?!" </p><p>Markus heard him. The words were strange, <em>Don't defend yourself</em> but Markus heard. What was he supposed to do?</p><p>"Don't do anything." Carl continued. </p><p>"Go ahead, hit me! What you waiting for?" </p><p>
  <em>Don't defend myself? What sort of advice is that? How does that help?</em>
</p><p>"Think you're a man? Act like one!" Leo slammed Markus down so that the edge of the tank hit his sternum. Water splashed over the side. <em>This wasn't fair. </em>Markus' chest ached. </p><p>"Stop it!" Carl pleaded. </p><p>"What's the matter? too much of a pussy?" Leo taunted. </p><p>"Stop it!" Carl coughed. </p><p><em>This isn't fair. </em>Leo repeated the motion. Markus' chest lit up with pain. </p><p>"STOP IT, LEO!" Carl sobbed. He was slumping in his seat, clutching his own chest, as if he were the one being hurt. "STOP IT!"</p><p>"Too scared to fight back, you fucking bitch?" Leo slapped Markus across the face and Markus' head snapped to the side. <em>I don't have to obey them. </em>Markus' heart was racing now. Leo slapped him again before he could get his bearings and he fell back into the water. <em>I must decide for myself. </em>Leo stomped into the shallow water and jabbed his boot down onto Markus' stomach. "Oh right, that's right! I forgot, you're not a real person...You're just a FUCKING PIECE OF MEAT! Listen to me..."</p><p>"No, Leo!" Carl's voice was getting hoarse, "Leave him alone!" He was breathing too hard. </p><p>"I'm gonna destroy you...I'm gonna kill you, and then it'll just be me and my Dad...I'm gonna tear you apart and nobody's gonna give a shit. You know why?" Leo's voice dropped, low and dangerous "'Cause you're nothing, you hear me? YOU'RE NOTHING!"</p><p>Markus beat his tail against the glass and shoved Leo away in one smooth, powerful movement. Leo fell backwards. His head slammed against the foot of a table. </p><p>The police stood in the doorway, staring in shock. The world seemed to slow down. And then there was a horrible, deafening - </p>
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